To chart out the strategy for the Mandi Lok Sabha by-poll slated for June 23, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, during his Delhi tour meets AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Ahmad Patel, political secretary to the Congress chief, AICC General Secretaries Janardan Diwedi, Birender Chaudhary, Moti Lal Vohra and some other leaders.
It’s learned that Singh has asked to declare candidate well in time as Mandi was geographically a difficult and second-largest constituency in the country. Time was needed to cover the constituency spread over six districts, including the tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Bharmour.
Chief Minister was accompanied by his close confidents and cabinet ministers Mukesh Agnihotri and Sudhir Sharma. In another significant development, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sukhvinder Singh also met him in Delhi.
Virbhadra Singh’s wife and former MP from Mandi, Pratibha Singh is likely to get party high-command nod, but, the rival camp is also willing to project their candidate from the seat. However, there isn’t any name from their side.
